


Instant Coffee

by starglue



Series: Cherry Wine [3]
Category: Bleach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27832009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starglue/pseuds/starglue
Summary: "I mean, really, Captain, nobody actually likes instant coffee."Renji brings back some treats from the Human World. Byakuya learns that he likes it.The third installment in a series of oneshots.
Series: Cherry Wine [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033182
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	Instant Coffee

Three days had passed since Renji Abarai had been sent to Karakura on an assignment. Aside from the nearly doubled amount of paperwork that Squad 6’s captain had to go over, and the training sessions he had to host (frankly, he had attended only one before pushing the duty off to their third seat, having found that the task of training unseated and unrecruited Shinigami was the most tasking of his duties), business was running as smoothly as usual. That wasn’t to say that no one missed the lieutenant’s presence - it was startlingly quiet without the redhead’s regular outburst - but it was normal. 

Of course it was normal; it wasn’t as if Renji had been sent to his death. Even if it were a particularly difficult situation, the second seat of the sixth was more than qualified and capable. He had escaped death more times than Byakuya could count on his fingers. The hound of Inuzuri was completely indestructable. Even when he had been struck by thousands of glittering blades, he had somehow held on to his will to live.

The weather was warm, hinted with the mugginess of summer’s impedance; there wasn’t even a breeze to stifle the air as Byakuya walked from his estate to Squad 6’s quarters. He barely cast a glance at the Shinigami he passed, even as they greeted him a good morning. There were quite a few individuals out that morning - from those with bedhead, having just woken up for their shift, to those who were retiring from their long night, to others still, picking up an early morning breakfast or tea from one of the many vendors lining the district streets.

As he approached the gates, Byakuya looked upwards to the guards standing watch, vaguely recognizing the small brunette on the right - his tattoos were dark black against his face, striking in resemblance to a certain lieutenant. What was his name again? He howled down a cheerful “Good morning, Captain!” as he saw his elder standing there, a large and boyish smile on his face. Byakuya nodded his head in response as the gate doors were opened for him, allowing him to make his way through.

Byakuya had barely made it through the door when he heard a loud and familiar voice echoing throughout the barracks. 

Renji was back, and so soon.

The Captain passed through the halls and stopped at the doorway to the communal room, which was used as a break room during lunch breaks or shift changes. Standing in the midst of commotion was the hound himself, holding with him a box full of goodies. Several seated officers were rummaging through it, pulling out bags of Konpeito, or toys from the Human World. Through the noise, no one appeared to notice Byakuya entering inside; Renji was currently speaking effervescently with their seventh seat, a youthful looking girl with mousy brown hair and big eyes behind square glasses. 

Byakuya took time to look around the room - there were more goodies atop the tables, colorful and bubbly. There was a pile of sweets with a note on top reading, in big, bold letters, “URAHARA SHOP.” Who knew what kinds of things lay in that candy - was it authentic, or were they nefarious goods that would leave some lasting effects on the body? Byakuya decided to avoid them.

Instead, his eyes were drawn to the pot boiling on the portable stove on the countertop. Walking over to it, Byakuya inspected the contents - it smelled earthy and a bit sweet, and was deep brown in color. It wasn’t tea, certainly - eyes drifting to the empty jar next to the pot and read its label. 

Byakuya decided to ladle some into an empty mug from one of the cupboards and brought it up to his nose to smell it once again, before he pressed the ceramic to his lips, just as someone noticed him and shouted for him to stop. 

They had been too late.

Everyone was deadpan. Anxious faces watched him, most closely being the brown eyes of his lieutenant, expression very serious. Byakuya met his gaze, face as usual betraying nothing - everyone was attempting to read him in vain.

“Captain-”

“What is this?”

Renji visibly reeled back, blinking his eyes a few times. He did not move. “Er, instant coffee, sir.”

“I see.”

A moment of silence. The air around the room was filled to the brim with tension; no one made a sound, moved a muscle. It seemed that not even the early morning birds dared to break the quiet for fear of triggering something terrible. A few more heartbeats passed:

“Um … How is it, Captain?”

Byakuya didn’t immediately respond. His eyes fell to the jar next to him, and then to his mug, still piping hot with coffee. He looked at the faces of his seated and unseated officers, and then raised it to his lips again, taking another sip. “It’s good.”

“W-what?”

“It’s good, Lieutenant Abarai. Did you get this from the Human World?”

“Yes, but, Captain …” The redhead was grasping for words, it appeared. His heavily inked brows were knitted, and his expression was placating. “Someone such as yourself … Shouldn’t be drinking that …” Byrakuya raised an eyebrow, and so he went on: “That is … it’s a poor person’s drink … And … I mean, really, Captain, nobody really _likes_ instant coffee. You don’t have to say that-”

“Abarai.” Renji quieted himself, and Byakuya reached to grab the jar from the counter. “You will get me more the next time you go to Karakura.” He slipped it into his haori before leaving a stunned room behind, heading to his office.

“Y-yes, Captain …” He heard the mumbling of a bewildered Renji as he turned the corner.

* * *

”What is that?”

Renji pointed to the mug on Byakuya’s desk, which was steaming hot.

“Instant coffee, Abarai.”

“Ah … No … What is _that_?”

“Ah … Rukia told me about something called latte art from her time in the human world with Ichigo Kurosaki. She wanted to try it.”

“On instant coffee?”

“Yes.”

“Well … What is it supposed to be-” Renji sealed his lips together when he saw Byakuya look up at him, a hint of annoyance in that slate-colored eyes. He cleared his throat awkwardly, offered a bow, and began to retreat: “E-excuse me, Captain. Actually, I think I have some paperwork that still needs to be finished … Er … Excuse me.”

Byakuya allowed himself an indignant huff as Renji closed the door behind him, glaring down at his cup. How dare he not recognize the pristine, milky likeness of the Seaweed Ambassador?

**Author's Note:**

> this is for my friend ven, specifically  
> i made myself get this out despite running out of steam  
> i dont think it turned out as i imagined it at all, but here it is  
> critiques are welcome!


End file.
